Moving walkways are typically constructed in one of two basic styles, either pallet type or moving belt type. A moving belt type moving walkway typically includes a metal mesh or rubber belt disposed over a series of rollers. A pallet type moving walkway, on the other hand, includes a continuous series of pallets joined together to form a walkway.
Pallet-type moving walkways generally include a truss assembly, which houses a drive mechanism that drives the pallets. Specifically, the pallets are fixed to a pallet chain that includes a plurality of interconnected rollers. The pallet chain is engaged with a pallet chain roller track and is operatively connected to the drive mechanism, such as one or more drive sprockets. As the drive mechanism drives the pallet chain, the pallets move along the pallet chain roller track from a passenger side to a return side located below the passenger side. To transition from the passenger side to the return side a turnaround mechanism is used. The walkway assembly including the truss assembly, drive mechanism, the turnaround mechanism and the return side of the walkway are typically located in a pit constructed for that purpose. Furthermore, depending upon whether the pallets turn up-side-down or maintain their orientation at the turnaround mechanism, the height of the pit may vary.
Moving walkways with such a pit construction have several disadvantages. For example, the height difference between the surrounding floor level and the passenger portion of the pallets (i.e. pallet height) may sometimes require relatively steep and/or lengthy ramps at the ends of the moving walkway for passenger comfort and handicapped access. In addition, parallel moving walkways, operating in opposite directions, typically require two pits, two drive mechanisms and two pallet bands, thereby further adding expense and space requirements for installation of the moving walkways.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have a moving walkway that may either not need a pit in the floor or the height of the pit is minimized. In so doing, the moving walkway may, therefore, be mounted either on finished, existing floors, or in foreseen openings of a floating screed without impacting the structure of floors (concrete ceilings, beams, etc.). It would also be beneficial if a moving walkway with a reduced height between the passenger side of the moving walkway and the surrounding floor surface is designed for passenger comfort, handicapped access, and/or the aesthetics of the landing design, while maintaining the functionality, simplicity, and reliability of its components.